Station-indicator.



No. 792,672. PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905. J. H. SHEPHERD.

STATION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

EIGNTHN M LVTM LFVENYH 1' NT H INT El HTH l' TH XTH FOURTH TH I RD ZW W I I I ATTORNEY. l I I No. 792,672. PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

J. H. SHEPHERD.

STATION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1903.

3 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

"I q I I I ATTORNEY.

PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

J. H. SHEPHERD.

STATION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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ATTORNEY.

Patented June 20, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. SHEPHERD, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

STATION-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,672, dated June 20, 1905.

Application filed August 22, 1903. Serial No. 170,390.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES H. SHEPHERD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Station-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for indicating on street-cars the next street or station. In devices of this nature heretofore used the streets or stations have been indicated on a continuous web or a series of panels mounted on a revolving shaft, and attempts have been made to have them operated automatically either by the power derived from the motive power of the car or from oneof the car-axles; but owing to the delicate machinery involved they have soon got out of order and become a useless and unsightly appendage to the car.

My invention contemplates the provision of panels at one or both ends of the cars having a number of slides for receiving plates on which the names of the streets or stations are printed and having small incandescent lights opposite the slides which are lighted in succession, the motorman being provided with a keyboard having the list of streets and stations and so constructed that he positively controls the announcements on the inside of the car.

The construction and advantages of my invention will fully appear hereinafter and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of a portion of the inside of a car, showing the panels surrounding one of the doors, also the keyboard and connections with the panels; Fig. 2, a diagrammatic View of the wiring employed; Fig. 3, an enlarged view in cross-section of the keyboard, and Fig. 4: a horizontal sectional view of a fragment of the keyboard on the line (L a of Fig. 3.

' Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, A represents one of the doors at the end of a streetcar, and B panels arranged on each side thereof and across its top. Panels B are divided into a number of slides C for receiving cards or plates D containing the names of streets or stations successively passed by the car.

E represents incandescent-light globes secured in sockets at the sides of slides 0, one of said globes being opposite each of said slides.

On the top of the framework of panels is a buzzer or bell or other suitable alarm F.

G represents the keyboard, that is placed in a convenient position for operation by the motorman, which consists of an elongated box having an opening H to receive a card which contains a list of the stations arranged in the same order as on the panels.

I represents contact-posts secured to the bottom of the box, one of said posts being placed under the name of each street on the card in opening H.

J represents the wires connecting contactposts I with the corresponding globes E.

K represents a bar having electrical connection with the trolley by means of wire k.

L represents the key slidably mounted in slot M and having its lower end formed with spring-arms N to contact with the bar K and one of the contact-posts I, and thus close the connection between the trolley and one of the globes E.

' 0 represents a pointer on key L.

P represents a battery, and p and p the positive and negative wires connecting the battery P with buzzer F. ires 1) and p are connected With rods Q and Q, secured in keyboard-box Gr.

R represents a connecting-plate pivotally mounted on a lever S, fulcrumed in key L.

T represents the ground-wire from the Sockets in panels B.

In operation the motorman slides the key L in slot M until the pointer 0 points to the street or station that the car is approaching. The circuit is then closed between the trolley and the globe E opposite the name of the street the car is approaching through bar K, spring-arms N, contact-post I, and wire J. By squeezing the upper end of lever S against the handle of key L plate R connects the two bars Q Q, thus closing the circuit between the battery Pand buzzer F and the attention of the occupants of the car drawn to the station indicated by the lighted globe.

I do not wish to be confined to the use of an electric light for indicating the station, as any other suitable device may be substituted without altering the spirit of my invention. Neither do I confine my invention to stationindicators for street-cars, as it is equally applicable to other purposes, such as train-announcers for railway-stations, &c.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A circuit-closing key for electrically-actuated devices comprising a stem having curved spring contact-arms integral therewith, a lever pivotally mounted on the stem, and a contact-plate pivotally mounted on the lever, substantially as shown and described.

2. A circuit-closing key for electrically-actuated devices comprising a stem, a lever pivotally mounted on the stern, and a contactplate pivotally mounted on the lever, substantially as shown and described.

3. In combination with a box containing an electrically-charged bar, and a number of contact-posts, a key for closing the circuit between said bar and any one of said contactposts having a stem provided with contactarms, substantially as shown and described.

4. In combination with a box containing a bar connected with a suitable source of electricity and contact-posts in circuit with electric lamps, a key slidably mounted in said box having a stem and spring-arms thereon so constructed as to close the circuit between said bar and any one of said contact-posts, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof 1 hereto aflEiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. SHEPHERD.

Witnesses:

F. E. PREWITT, HELEN M. MAREUTELLE. 

